Valve arrangement for a sprinkler system and a control valve arrangement



June 24, 1969 K. KJAERGAARD 3,451,482

VALVE ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND A CONTROL VALVE ARRANGEMENT Sheet Z of 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1967 2 3 M a 6 7 w. 5 3 l W el 9 m 2 .a w 6 4 J I m 4 r a i 3 2/ 1 d E lilii a 7 8W 6 w M 4 M 5 I 2 5 4 5 4 a 2 6 m 9. 7 2

June 1969 K. KJAERGAARD 3,451,482

VALVE ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND A CONTROL VALVE ARRANGEMENT Filed Feb. 27, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 INVENTOR K400 Aweg e BY KIM/2%;

United States Patent 3,451,482 VALVE ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPRINKLER SYSTEM AND A CONTROL VALVE AR- RANGEMENT Knud Kjaergaard, Farum, Denmark, assignor to GW Sprinkler A/S (GW Ventilation A/S), Copenhagen, Denmark Filed Feb. 27, 1967, Ser. No. 618,904 Claims priority, application Denmark, Mar. 1, 1966, 1,052/66; Dec. 5, 1966, 6,280/66 Int. Cl. A62c 35/16, 37/06, 37/24 US. Cl. 16922 '11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Valve arrangement for sprinkler systems in which a pressure medium is introduced through a valve which is kept in closed position by medium pressure in the nonactivated system and released by pressure drop caused by activating the system.

The invention relates to a valve arrangement for a sprinkler system comprising a supply line for a pressure medium, and it is the object of the invention to provide a valve arrangement which secures smooth operation substantially independent of the normally existing pressure, and by means of which it will be possible to test the system effectively also in cases where the system during non-operation is filled with a gaseous medium and the liquid extinguishing medium is only introduced into the system on the activation thereof.

This has been achieved according to the invention by providing the valve arrangement with a main valve and a dual control valve with an intermediate chamber containing a valve body with a valve spindle connected to an operating plunger, said main valve being adapted to be opened by the supplied pressure medium and connected to a plunger in a pressure chamber of larger cross-sectional area than the intermediate chamber of the main valve, whereby the pressure chamber will communicate with the pressure medium supply line as long as the control valve is kept closed by means of the pressure existing in the non-activated sprinkler system, which pressure is applied to the operating plunger of the control valve, and will communicate with the atmosphere when the valve is opened in response to a pressure drop in the sprinkler system.

Such a valve system is dependent solely on pressure variations, that is at the moment the pressure in the sprinkler system drops, this pressure drop will immediately cause the operating plunger to move, whereby the control valve will be activated and relieve the pressure in the said pressure chamber so that the pressure medium supplied from the pressure medium source can open the main valve to enter and spread into the sprinkler system. The valve arrangement will operate in this manner no matter whether the system is non-operative periods contains liquid or air. When the system is being tested it will function in exactly the same manner.

A preferred embodiment of the valve arrangement according to the invention is characterized in that the operating plunger of the dual control valve is coupled to an alarm check-valve to keep this valve closed as long as the operating plunger is subject to the pressure on the non-activated sprinkler system and to open it to provide connection between the pressure medium supply and a pressure sensitive alarm device. Thus the alarm device is activated, and as a result of the concentration of the valve arrangement the alarm will be independent of the normally existing pressure and activated solely by the pressure variations resulting when a sprinkler of the sprinkler 3,451,482 Patented June 24, 1969 "Ice system is activated. Moreover, the alarm will continue in operation independently of the continuance of the pressure variations until interrupted by manual operation.

A particularly serviceable construction of the valve arrangement is characterized in that the control valve and the alarm check valve are disposed in coaxial relationship with a chamber therebetween communicating with the pressure medium inlet opening. This means a simplification of the mechanical assembly of the whole valve arrangement.

To be able to test the alarm device without having to activate the whole sprinkler system the valve arrangement according to the invention may be provided with a bypass valve interposed in the connection between the alarm check valve and the alarm device and so connected with the pressure medium supply line that it can lead the pressure medium direct to the alarm device while simultaneously blocking the connection to the alarm check valve.

The invention also relates to a control valve for a valve arrangement of the type defined. Such a control valve, as explained, is adapted to control the main operating valve of the arrangement and is actuated by the pressure existing in the sprinkler system, so that the pressure drop setting in on the opening of a sprinkler actuates the control valve, which will cause the main operating valve to open to provide access for extinguishing liquid from a pressure tank to the sprinkler system.

It has been found that in a sprinkler system provided with such a valve arrangement minor and tardy pressure variations may occur while all sprinklers are closed, caused for instance by variations in the temperature of the ambient air, and it is evident that these minor and tardy pressure variations must not be allowed to cause the main operating valve to open. It has previously been suggested to use a control valve which is directly dependent on the absolute pressure in the sprinkler system, but even if such a valve can be constructed so that within a certain range of pressure variations it will not cause the main operating valve to open, it has been found in many instances to be less satisfactory, and it is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a control valve for the said valve arrangement which eliminates this drawback entirely, i.e. a valve which becomes operative only in response to rapid and substantial pressure variations, While minor and tardy variations will be neutralized. This object has been achieved according to the invention by a control valve in which the valve spindle is suspended in two membranes, one of which is located in the operating chamber containing the operating plunger while the other is positioned outside the intermediate chamber at the end thereof facing away from operating chamber, the latter membrane forming a wall of a pressure compartment which communicates with the operating chamber through a throttle valve adapted to permit free passage into the pressure compartment and to throttle flow in the opposite direction.

By forming the valve as defined it has been achieved that the valve spindle will be retained in the inactive position during equal pressure from both ends of the valve spindle, i.e. the same pressure against the outwardly facing surfaces of the two membranes, and minor variations in this pressure will be equalized by the throttle valve without the valve spindle being activated to perform an axial movement. Only in case of a substantial and sudden pressure drop in the sprinkler system resulting from the opening of a sprinkler will the pressure drop rapidly in the operating chamber, while it will drop slowly in the pressure chamber; thereby a substantial difference between the pressure in the two chambers will be caused, which will immediately impart axial movement to the valve spindle whereby the valve body will change over the valve with the result that the pressure keeping the main operating valve closed will be relieved, the main operating valve will be opened and the extinguishing fluid flow into the sprinkler system.

By further designing the control valve so that displacement of the valve spindle away from the said pressure chamber will cause a blocking valve body provided on the valve spindle to open before the dual valve body opens for passage from the intermediate chamber to the surrounding air and by providing a throttle duct leading from the section of the operating chamber disposed at the side of the membrane facing the intermediate chamher to the surrounding air, the invention has achieved a particularly fast operation of the valve, because the pressurized extinguishing liquid will pass through the blocking valve as soon as this valve opens a little and thus exercise pressure against the surface of the membrane facing the intermediate chamber, and the pressure of the extinguishing liquid will contribute to rapidly completing the axial displacement of the valve spindle and thereby the complete change-over, so that the pressure from the main operating valve through the intermediate chamber will be relieved. The extinguishing liquid may trickle out through the said throttle duct and by shutting off the liquid supply the valve spindle can be immediately returned to its starting position, and the valve arrangement will then be ready to control the recoupled sprinkler system in which all sprinklers are closed.

The control valve according to the invention may further have disc-shaped membranes which in the inactivated position are slightly curved towards the said pressure chamber, whereby an effective force for urging the valve spindle towards the normal inactive position has been provided.

When a control valve of this type is used in a sprinkler system containing liquid in the sprinkler system itself it may be difficult, when the system is inoperative, to cause the valve spindle to react immediately on the occurrence of a pressure drop in the sprinkler system, because the liquid is non-compressible, and it may therefore be expedient to form the pressure chamber as an expansion or to connect it with an expansion chamher.

The invention will be explained here with reference to the drawing, in which FIG. 1 presents a vertical section through a preferred embodiment of a valve arrangement for a sprinkler sys tem according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 shows schematically a control valve according to the invention coupled to a valve arrangement for a sprinkler system.

FIG. 1 shows a valve arrangement comprising a supply line 1 for an extinguishing medium, preferably water. In the supply line is a valve 2 leading to a delivery pipe 3 adapted for connection to the sprinkler system. The valve 2 is mounted on a valve spindle 4 which is connected on the other side of the delivery pipe 3 to a plunger 5 disposed in a pressure chamber 6. The valve system moreover comprises a control valve 7 having a valve body 8 disposed in an intermediate chamber 9. The valve body 8 cooperates with two valve seats, 10 and 11 respectively, one at each side of the intermediate chamber 9, and is mounted on a valve spindle 12 provided at the bottom with a guide member 16 which is sealed relatively to a casing 15, and which supports a spring 14 also disposed within the casing and urging the valve body 8 against the valve seat 10. The pressure of the spring may be adjusted by means of a screw 13a whereby the position of a thrust pad 13 may be changed.

The intermediate chamber 9 communicates with the pressure compartment '6 through a pipe line 17, and above the valve seat 10 there is a further chamber 18 communicating through a pipe line 19 with a supply line 1 for the extinguishing medium. At the upper end of the spindle 12 there is a further valve body 20 cooperating with a valve seat 21 and disposed within an upper chamber 22, in which also an operating plunger 23 mounted on the valve spindle is located. Above the plunger 23 the upper chamber 22, communicates through a pipe line 24 with the delivery pipe 3. Below the plunger 23 is a discharge pipe 25 leading through a three-way valve 26 to a connecting branch 27 for the pipe of a pressure sensitive alarm device. To the three-way valve 26 is further connected a pipe line 28 leading to the pipe 19 and thereby to the supply line 1 for the extinguishing medium.

At the top of the upper chamber 22 there is a screw spindle 2? with a handle 30.

The delivery pipe 3 has a branching 31 leading to a three-way cock 32 which is connected both to a compressed air pipe 33 and to an air escape branch 34. The pipe line 31 is further connected with a branching 35 leading to a four-way cock 36 which is further connected with a pipe line 37 leading to the extinguishing medium supply 1, to a discharge branch 38 and to a pipe line 39, in which a throttling device 40 and a one-way valve 41 are inserted, permitting passage only away from the four-way valve 36.

The control valve 7 is provided below the valve seat 11 with a lower chamber 42 connected with a discharge pipe 43. The pipe 25 has a branching 44 serving as discharge pipe and comprising a throttling device 45.

The operation of the valve system may be explained as follows:

When the four-way valve 36 is in the position indicated in the drawing the cycles connected with the delivery pipe 3 are entirely separate from the cycles connected with the extinguishing medium supply 1. By turning the three-way valve 32 compressed air may be fed from the supply line 33 into the delivery pipe 3, and this compressed air will act upon the plunger 23, whereby the valve bodies 8 and 20 will be urged against the valve seats 11 and 21 respectively, the spring being so adjusted by means of the screw that the force of the spring is but slightly less than the force exerted by the pressure in the delivery pipe 3 against the plunger 23. The extinguishing medium supplied from the pipe line 1 is led through the pipe line 19 to the chamber 18 and cturther into the intermediate chamber 9 and through the pipe line 17 to the pressure chamber 6, where it acts upon the plunger 5 having a larger cross sectional area than the valve 2, the closure will be effective independently of the absolute pressure in the extinguishing medium, and the closure will also be independent of the pressure in the delivery pipe 3.

But when a pressure drop sets in in the delivery pipe, either because a sprinkler :in the connected sprinkler system is opened or because the three-way valve 32 is turned to a position in which the connection from the delivery pipe 3 to the air branch 34 is shut ed for testing the insta-llation, the pressure on the plunger 23 will drop and the spring 14 will urge the valve spindle 12 upwards, whereby the valve body 8 will be raised into engagement with the valve seat 10 and at the same time passage will be provided from the pressure chamber 6 through the pipe 17 and the intermediate chamber 9 to the chamber 42 and :to the discharge pipe 43. Thus the pressure chamber 6 is relieved and the pressure in the extinguishing medium in the pipe 1 will be able to displace the plunger 2 from its seat to permit the extinguishing medium to how into the delivery pipe 3 and further .out into the sprinkler system.

No matter what pressure variations might then occur, the spring 14 will retain the valve spindle 12 in the raised position and thereby also the valve 2 will be kept open, while pressure fluid, i.e. extinguishing liquid, Will be led from the chamber 18, past the valve body 20 land into the upper chamber 22, from which it will flow into the line 25 through the three-way valve 26 to the pipe line 27 so that a pressure sensitive alarm device connected to that line will be activated and maintained activated until it is cut off by manual operation.

It will readily be seen that by retaining the three-way valve '26 in the position indicated in the drawing and turning the tour-way valve 36 to provide connection trom the pipe line 37 to line 39, the system will be caused to operate exactly as described above, except that the delivery pipe and the connected sprinkler system will all along be filled with extinguishing medium. By means of the throttle valve 40 and the one-way valve 41 the same pressure will be maintained in the delivery pipe 3 as in the supply pipe 1, and also above the plunger 23 and in the chamber 18 the pressure will be the same.

When the system has been put into operation, either for testing or for extinguishing a fire, and is to be retumed to the inoperative position, the valve spindle 12 must be pulled downwards; this is done by means of the screw spindle 29, which is operated by means of the handle 30. Moreover, the four-way valve 36 must be turned to permit the liquid in the delivery pipe 3 and the connected springler system to run oil through the branch 38. The liquid in the pipe 25 and the three-way valve 26 and pipe 27 will be able to flow out through the throttle valve 45 and pipe 44. These operations completed, the valve 32 may be turned to permit compressed air to reenter the delivery pipe 3, the [four-way valve 36 being first turned into the position indicated, and the valve arrangement will then be restored to function as initially explained, ie as fire alarm, and the spring'ler installation will be filled with air throughout.

The three-way valve 26, moreover, may be adjusted to provide connection between the branch 27 and the pipe 28, whereby extinguishing medium may flow direct to the alarm device independently of the valve arrangement so that the alarm device may be tested without engaging the sprinkler system.

'FIG. 2 shows a feed branch 101 'for pressurized extinguishing liquid and this branch can be shutoff by means of a valve body 102, which by axial displacement provides connection between the feed branch 101 and a delivery pipe 103 connected to the sprinkler system. The valve 102 is mounted on a valve spindle 104 supporting a piston 105 disposed within a chamber 106, and this chamber communicates through a pipe line 107 with an intermediate chamber 108 in a control valve 109 according to the invention. In the intermediate chamber 108 a valve body 110 is mounted on the valve spindle 111, which is supported at either end by a membrane 112 and 113 respectively, both of which are clamped to the valve spindle by means of a pair of retaining discs, 114 and 115 respectively.

The valve spindle 111 further supports a valve body 116, which in the position indicated blocks passage between a chamber 117 below the membrane 112 and a chamber 118 disposed below chamber 117 and connected through a pipe line 119 with the pipe branch 101.

The delivery pipe 103 moreover communicates through a pipe line 120 with an operating chamber 121 in which the membrane 112 is mounted and from which a pipe line 122 leads through a throttle valve 123 to a pressure compartment 124, one wall of which is formed by the membrane 113.

The throttle valve comprises a valve body 126 actuated by a light spring 125 and so positioned that it closes the valve in response to the pressure in the pressure compartment 124; the throttle valve also comprises a bypass 127, 128, in which is inserted a throttling member 129 adjustable by means of a screw 130. A pressure medium may flow unobstructed towards the pressure chamber 124 because the valve body 126 is readily displaced from its seat against the pressure of the spring 125, whereas the pressure medium can flow in the opposite direction only through the bypass 127, 128, past the throttling member 129, and the flow speed will thus be determine-d by the setting of the screw 130.

The valve body 110 is provided with a packing 131 which is slidable in a cylindrical bore 132 and which in the axial upward displacement of the valve spindle 111 will slide out of the bore to provide passage from the chamber 106 through the pipe line 107 and the intermediate chamber 108 to a chamber 133 located below the inter-mediate chamber 108 and communicating through a duct 134 with the atmosphere. The valve body is further provided with an upwardly facing packing 135 which cooperates with a valve seat 136 and thereby blocks access from the intermediate chamber 108 to the chamber 118 which communicates through the pipe line 119 with the pipe branch 101.

On the upward displacement of the valve spindle 111 the valve body 116 will slide away from the packing 137, which in the position indicated encloses the valve body 116. This enables the pressurized extinguishing liquid to flow upwards into the chamber 117, from which it can be led away but slowly through a longitudinal duct 138 communicating through a throttle duct 139 with the chamber 133 and the air escape pipe 134.

It will be noted that the two membranes 112 and 113 are of a slightly curved disc shape, and in response to a pressure in the chamber 124 the membrane 113 will be curved slightly backwards from this chamber and kept under a certain tension, while the chamber 133 will communicate with the chamber 140 located above the membrane 113 to provide communication from this space to the open air.

To further secure the valve spindle and the valve bodies mounted thereon in the inoperative position the chamber 121 may be provided with a compression spring 141 acting upon the clamping discs 114 and thereby on the valve spindle 111.

In the embodiment illustrated here the pressure compartment 124 communicates through an opening 142 with an expansion chamber 143 containing a plunger 144 which is urged towards the opening 142 by means of a strong spring 145.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination: a sprinkler system, a supply system for supplying a pressure medium, a normally closed main supply valve connecting said supply system to said sprinkler system, a pressure chamber having a piston therein for operating said supply valve, a control valve having a closed position wherein it elfects communication between said pressure chamber and said supply line, said control valve also having an open position wherein it efiects communication between said pressure chamber and atmosphere, and an operating chamber communicating with said sprinkler system and having an operating piston which efiects operation of said control valve, said operating piston maintaining said control valve closed when said sprinkler system is non-activated and pressurized, said operating piston maintaining said control valve open when a pressure drop occurs in said sprinkler system.

2. In combination: a sprinkler system, a supply system for supplying a pressure medium, a main supply valve connecting said supply system to said sprinkler system, said supply valve comprising a normally closed supply valve body which is adapted to be moved during opening in the flow direction of said medium, a pressure chamber having a piston therein which is connected to said supply valve body, a control valve comprising a chamber communicating with said pressure chamber and further comprising a control valve body, said control valve body having a closed position wherein it efiects communication between said pressure chamber and said supply line, said control valve body having an open position wherein it effects communication between said pressure chamber and atmosphere, and an operating chamber communicating with said sprinkler system and having an operating piston which effects operation of said control valve body, said operating piston maintaining said control valve body in closed position when said sprinkler system is non-activated and pressurized, said operating piston maintaining said control valve body in open position when a pressure drop occurs in said sprinkler system.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said first recited piston has a larger cross sectional area than said supply valve body.

4. The combination according to claim 2 further comprising an alarm check valve for operating an alarm when said sprinkler system is activated, said check valve comprising an outlet communicating with said chamber in said control valve and further comprising a check valve body operable by said operating piston to close said outlet when said sprinkler system is pressurized and non-activated and to open said outlet when said sprinkler system is activated.

5. A valve arrangement as defined in claim 2, and wherein the control valve body and the alarm check valve body are disposed in co-axial relationship, defining between them a chamber communicating with the supply system.

6. A valve arrangement as defined in claim 2, and wherein a by-pass valve is located downstream of the alarm check valve and connected with the supply system so as to lead the pressure medium directly through the by-pass valve while simultaneously blocking the connection to the alarm check valve.

7. In combination: a sprinkler system, a supply system for supplying a pressure medium, a main supply. valve connecting said supply system to said sprinkler system, said supply valve comprising a normally closed supply valve body which is adapted to be moved during opening in the flow direction of said medium, a pressure chamber having a piston therein which is connected to said supply valve body, a control valve comprising an intermediate chamber communicating with said pressure chamber and further comprising a spindle to which two diaphragms are attached, an operating chamber communicating with said sprinkler system and having an operating piston which etfects operation of said spindle, said control valve when closed by pressure on said operating piston from said non-activated sprinkler system effecting communication between said pressure chamber and said supply system, said control valve when open in response to a pressure drop in said sprinkler system pro: viding communication between the pressure chamber and atmosphere, and a pressure compartment communicating with said operating chamber through a one-way throttle valve which is adapted to permit free flow into said pressure compartment but which throttles flow in the opposite direction, one of said diaphragms located in said operating chamber and the other of said diaphragms defining a wall of said pressure compartment.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said first recited piston has a, larger cross sectional area than said supply valve body.

9. A control valve as defined in claim 7, and wherein the valve spindle is provided with a blocking valve body which together with the dual valve body are so arranged that displacement of the valve spindle away from the said pressure compartment causes the blocking valve to open before the control valve opens for passage from the intermediate chamber to the open air, and that from the section of the operating chamber at the side of the diaphragm facing the intermediate chamber a throttle duct leads to the open air.

10. A control valve as defined in claim 7, and wherein the two diaphragms are disc shaped and in inactivated position slightly curved towards the said pressure compartment.

11. A control valve as defined in claim 7, and wherein the pressure chamber is formed as an expansion chamber which is adapted to accommodate incompressible pressure media References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1892 Shaffer 16920 

